Atomic Weapons Research Establishment. Orford ... - English Heritage

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Figure 25: Laboratory 1 F3/123 showing the large vibration laboratory to the southeast of the main dividing wall. (c) English Heritage DP068442 Internally, the main bay is separated into two unequal portions by a substantial concrete dividing wall, and running along its northern side is a pit 3.18m (5ft 5in) wide and 2.74m (9ft) deep (Figure 25). On the dividing wall are traces of a screen mechanism to ensure that activities either side of the divide remained confidential. The larger Vibration Laboratory to the southeast measures 17.32m (57ft) and the smaller Drop Test Laboratory to the northwest 12.15m (40ft). Each of the bays was served by its own entrance with wooden doors to either end, creating air locks measuring 10.1m (33ft) and 9.2m (30ft). Although the original specification only called for the testing of the bomb’s central section, the air locks were long enough to accommodate a fully assembled Blue Danube and its carrying trolley. Although manoeuvring such a large item through the southwest entrance and into the Drop Test bay would have been extremely tight.. A contemporary photograph (Cocroft and Thomas 2003, 30) shows a Blue Danube bomb in Laboratory F1. It is not known if this taken in summer 1956, or if it relates to later trials, as the Blue Danube casing was also used for a number of other warheads and the photograph may relate to work on later boosted fission and thermonuclear weapons. A ledge below the top of the longitudinal walls of the central bay marks the position of a travelling crane that was used to position the bomb on the test equipment. Each of the of the entrance passages was later protected by crude steel doors fashioned from welded reinforcing rods, the presence of electric locks on the doors indicating they were added during AWRE occupancy. Attached to the wall of the main bay are many small bore pipes that carried various services, including electric wires, hydraulic fluids, and carbon dioxide fire © ENGLISH HERITAGE 40 10 - 2009
suppressant, and within the roof structure are the remains of large air conditioning ducts. On the northern side of the south eastern entrance passage are two rooms that probably accommodated switch and monitoring equipment, and on the south side of the south west entrance passage was a staff room and toilet cubicles. Testing required the building to be temperature and humidity controlled and on the northwest side of the mound is a large self-contained reinforced concrete, two bay plant room measuring 21m (69ft) by 3.89m (12ft 8in). This sits within the main shingle traverse and is insulated from it by a surrounding brick wall that acts a damp course. Air conditioning ducts from the main chamber enter this building and surviving plant within it indicates that it housed air conditioning plant. On the north side of the traverse is a similar self-contained structure; surviving fittings show that it mainly housed electrical switch gear, controls for the vibrating machines and carbon-dioxide supplies for the fire suppressant system. To the northwest of Laboratory 1 F3/123 is a detached rectangular reinforced concrete building, 10.92m (35ft 10in) by 6.1m (20ft). It was formerly numbered 127 and its last function was described as a Laboratory Store. Later alterations to this building, include the bricking up of the entrance on its southwest side and the replacement of wide opening with a single door, at this time a window was probably also blocked on the northwest side. Internally, a breeze block wall was inserted. These alterations may point to a change in the building’s function. Figure 26: Control Room F4 127/67, showing the later brick porch and blast wall. (c) English Heritage The operations within Laboratory 1 were considered to be so hazardous that it was provided with a detached Control Room F4/127/67 130m (142yds) to its northeast. This is an L-shaped reinforced concrete structure, originally with an open sided porch © ENGLISH HERITAGE 41 10 - 2009
Page 1 and 2: RESEARCH DEPARTMENT REPORT SERIES n
Page 3: Research Department Report Series 1
Page 6 and 7: © ENGLISH HERITAGE 2009 10 -
Page 8 and 9: Sources 64 Primary sources 64 Secon
Page 10 and 11: Introduction The Atomic Weapons Res
Page 12 and 13: Topography and land use Orford Ness
Page 14 and 15: Previous archaeological and histori
Page 16 and 17: The First World War In 1915, the Ar
Page 18 and 19: Figure 4: Photograph taken during t
Page 20 and 21: sorties were flown from RAF Martles
Page 22 and 23: Ballistics Building and was able to
Page 24 and 25: With the closure of the Ministry of
Page 26 and 27: Figure 11: Vibration Test Buildings
Page 28 and 29: Figure 12: WE177A freefall tactical
Page 30 and 31: Orford Ness formally passed from AW
Page 32 and 33: Figure 14: RAF Orford Ness in May 1
Page 34 and 35: Figure 16: The remains of the Model
Page 36 and 37: hostel. Adjacent to this is the sit
Page 38 and 39: Figure 21: First World War Magazine
Page 40 and 41: First phase AWRE buildings Air phot
Page 42 and 43: Figure 24: View of the area to the
Page 46 and 47: on its northeast side that gave acc
Page 48 and 49: To support the functions of this bu
Page 50 and 51: The centrifuge arm was 16ft (4.88m)
Page 52 and 53: Figure 32: The Control Room E4, sho
Page 54 and 55: Figure 34: Vibration Laboratory E2,
Page 56 and 57: was supported on concrete piers. Th
Page 58 and 59: Figure 38: The Impact Facility F5,
Page 60 and 61: uildings, are covered by a shingle
Page 62 and 63: for solitary sheep and cattle graze
Page 64 and 65: Figure 42: AWRE in July 1958, by th
Page 66 and 67: programme, the development of the W
Page 68 and 69: Sources Primary sources The Nationa
Page 70 and 71: Secondary sources Anon 1931 ‘Radi
Page 72 and 73: Building list This list was compile
Page 74 and 75: 62 7 ton crane - quay 63 7 ton cran
Page 76 and 77: 125 F1 1956 Lab II & control room (
Page 78 and 79: Magazine AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTURE N
Page 80 and 81: Fuze Magazine AREA/LOCATION: STRUCT
Page 82 and 83: Fuze Magazine AREA/LOCATION: STRUCT
Page 84 and 85: a cruciform framework to support th
Page 86 and 87: Vibration Test Building AREA/LOCATI
Page 88 and 89: are 3 large concrete machinery moun
Page 90 and 91: At the south end of the main plant
Page 92 and 93: At the east end there is a slightly
Page 94 and 95:
a similar sign on the south door re
Page 96 and 97:
Electrical Sub Station 2 AREA/LOCAT
Page 98 and 99:
Laboratory 2 AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTU
Page 100 and 101:
Laboratory 3 AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTU
Page 102 and 103:
ing the shingle traverse and protec
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and running along the north wall. T
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cylinder. Roughly in the centre of
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tion board/fuse box, and a single s
Page 110 and 111:
Impact Facility AREA/LOCATION: STRU
Page 112 and 113:
Plinth E AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTURE N
Page 114 and 115:
Black Beacon AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTU
Page 116 and 117:
Headquarters AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTU
Page 118 and 119:
Small Vibration Laboratory AREA/LOC
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Office Annexe AREA/LOCATION: STRUCT
Page 122 and 123:
Compound AREA/LOCATION: G Area STRU
Page 124 and 125:
Electronics Workshop AREA/LOCATION:
Page 126 and 127:
Plinth G AREA/LOCATION: Lighthouse
Page 128 and 129:
Figure 44: Reference plan (1:10000
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Figure 46: West end of The Street (
Page 132 and 133:
Figure 48: AWRE headquarters area (
Page 134 and 135:
Figure 50: Laboratory F5 (1:1000 at
Page 136 and 137:
Figure 52: Pagodas and Control Room
Page 138:
ENGLISH HERITAGE RESEARCH DEPARTMEN
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Atomic Weapons Research Establishment. Orford ... - English Heritage

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